A Utah man who claimed someone had carved anti-gay slur into his arms and poured bleach down his throat STAGED the attack – as his lawyer says it was a ‘cry for help’
Rick Jones, 21, reported in April and June that he was targeted in a series of “homophobic” attacks. In one instance, Jones claimed he was ambushed outside his Utah pizza parlor and had words ‘die’ and ‘f*g’ carved into his arms
Jones later claimed that someone threw a rock and Molotov cocktail through his bedroom window
The community rallied around Jones, raising money for him and flocking to his Delta pizzeria to help the business stay afloat.

Jones’ lawyer says all the donations are being refunded
By ASSOCIATED PRESS and SNEJANA FARBEROV FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 02:37, 1 July 2015 | UPDATED: 00:20, 2 July 2015A pizzeria owner from Utah who reported that someone beat him, carved a homophobic slur into his arm and firebombed his home, staged the attacks himself, authorities revealed Tuesday.
Millard County Sheriff Robert Dekker said Rick Jones, 21, could face charges after officers investigating the series of reported attacks found inconsistencies in the evidence.
The Delta man eventually admitted to faking the harassment, Dekker said.
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Rick Jones, 21, a pizzeria owner from Utah, reported last month that he’d been repeatedly attacked for being gay
Now, it’s been revealed that Jones had staged the attacks
Master of deception: Rick Jones, 21, a pizzeria owner from Utah, reported last month that he’d been repeatedly attacked for being gay. Now, it’s been revealed that Jones had staged the attacks
Bogus hate crime: Jones claimed that in April, someone jumped him and carved the words ‘die’ and ‘f*g’ carved into his arms (pictured)
Bogus hate crime: Jones claimed that in April, someone jumped him and carved the words ‘die’ and ‘f*g’ carved into his arms (pictured)
Fire damage: on June 10, a rock and a Molotov cocktail were thrown through the window of Jones’ home
Fire damage: on June 10, a rock and a Molotov cocktail were thrown through the window of Jones’ home
Attorney Brett Tolman, who represents Jones, said the reports were not a hoax but rather a cry for help initially directed toward people close to him, and Jones didn’t realize how much attention they would get.
‘I think it’s such good evidence of the difficulties members of the gay community deal with, and some make better choices than others,’ Tolman said.
Jones has since begun mental health treatment, the lawyer said.
The purported attacks began with a beating at his family’s pizzeria in April that left Jones with head and facial bruising.
Five days later, the family’s home was found spray-painted with a homophobic slur. Then on June 10, a rock and a Molotov cocktail were thrown through the window of the home. That same day, the Jones family’s Grand Central Pizzeria and Grill was spray-painted, broken into and robbed of $1,400.

Jones told KSL-TV earlier this month he believed he was targeted because he is gay.
‘I think someone is using this as psychological warfare against my family,’ the 21-year-old man told reporters at the time.
Dekker said prosecutors are considering possible charges including filing a false report and reckless burning.
Tolman said Jones did not have any criminal intent and the outpouring of support after the allegations became public was a good message.
Outpouring of support: Utah’s community has rallied around Jones, raising close to $12,000 online towards his medical expenses. All the donations are now being refunded
Inside job: the 21-year-old claimed in June that his family’s Grand Central Pizzeria and Grill was spray-painted, broken into and robbed of $1,400

The attorney added that everyone who donated money to online fundraisers launched by well-meaning Good Samaritans to help Jones and his family will be issued refunds.
Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox publicly declared his support after the allegations were reported, slamming the attack on the young man as ‘cowardly and barbaric’.
Cox said Tuesday that he’s relieved that the troubling allegations weren’t authentic, but he’s concerned for Jones and his family and hopes they find ‘peace and healing.’
Speaking to CNN in early June, Rick Jones described in detail the horrific April attack in which someone ambushed him as he went to throw out the garbage at his family’s restaurant after closing time.
‘I was knocked out and then suddenly someone was forcing my legs and hands down and trying to get me to drink bleach,’ Jones claimed.
The business owner said he awakened a few hours later in a hospital with a concussion and the words ‘die’ and ‘f*g’ carved into his arms.
The same words were later found spray-painted on the side of Jones’ home.
Then on June 10, Jones reported that someone hurled a rock and a Molotov cocktail through his bedroom window.
‘It didn’t explode but it started a fire that burnt the wall and some of my carpet,’ he said. ‘It actually landed on my bed. I ran and warned my family ‘there is a fire’ and I got a fire extinguisher and was able to quickly get the fire out.’
Sheriff Dekker at the time called the case a priority for his department and assigned several detectives to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.
Jones’ attorney insisted that the false reports were not a hoax but rather his client’s ‘cry for help’
The 21-year-old could now face possible charges in the case
Brett Tolman, Jones’ attorney, said his client (pictured next to his mother) grew up in a devout Baptist family in a small, conservative community, and he has many issues to work through
The Utah Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, reported Deseret News, and members of the state’s LGBTQ community flocked to Rick Jones’ fledgling family restaurant to help them stay afloat.
Michael Aaron, who helped organize a fundraiser and rally for the Joneses, presciently said at the time: ‘I thought the story was so over the top that it couldn’t possibly been true. I mean, this kid just can’t catch a break and this family can’t, the graffiti, it just has to be wearing them down.’
A post written on a GoFundMe page that had raised nearly $12,000 toward his medical expenses read: ‘Rick and his family are grateful for the expressions of support, but cannot accept this generosity. All donations are being returned to the donors.’

VGB says: Why aren’t all cases of homosexuals faking hate-crimes against themselves prosecuted? This is criminal fraud. Yet time after time they get away with it, all over the world